Dorothea Dix was born in Hampden, Maine, in 1802. Her father’s name was Joseph who was an itinerant Methodist preacher. He was often away from home causing Dorothea dix’s mother to suffer from bursts of depression. Dorothea Dix was the oldest of three children. Although very young, Dix ran her household and cared for her family. Her father was strict and volatile and was addicted to alcohol and was very depressed. Although all of these factors were in play, her father still taught her how to read and write which fueled her love of books and learning. Her early life was very difficult, unpredictable, and lonely.…
She talks about how being a young child with misfortunes that occur are routine. But once your mature they exist and we learn to accept them, live life fully, experience pain along with joy.…
Sara was eventually adopted by a little woman who was desperate for a cute, little child of her own. The woman's name was Helen and she had lost 2 of her own children in childbirth and her husband had recently passed away. Under the woman's tutelage Sara learned to walk, talk and read. The old woman was quite poor but made up for the lack of money through affection, and kindly raised Sara as if she was her own. Little by little, Sara forgot her parents until all she had ever known was the woman who brought her up. As a small child, around 6, Helen lavished her attentions on Sara, buying her toys and clothes when she could afford it, talking to her, playing with her, sending her to school and helping her with homework, everything a good parent should do.…
Her daughter Paula lived a life of service. She spent her days volunteering at several facilities. She spent eight hours a day, six days a week helping women and children. She never had the money, but she needed very little. Paula’s passing was a very hard time for her mother to cope with. She had to let go of everything that might reminded her of daughter; everything from her voice, laughter, appearance, and also her spirit. Losing Paula was a cleansing experience for Isabel, she was forced to get rid of excess baggage and kept only what was essential and important. Paula taught her mother Isabel a very valuable lesson “don’t get so attached to anything”.…
She returned to New York when she was ten years old during the height of the Great Depression, a severe economic shortage, therefor life was not easy for her and her seven brothers, so she attended to the New York Public School, where she did it well. Then she assisted to the Girls’ High School. But because of the economic hardship the country was affronting she lost tuition scholarships that she had won to several distinguished colleges…
The book, Ellen Foster, revolves around a young girl’s unstable life and her ability to fight through obstacles and to find people who truly care for her. As a young child, Ellen was damaged by her father especially because he treated her with extreme disrespect. After her mother’s death, Ellen did not really have any family left as her family members continued to pass away. However, Ellen learned to tend to adult responsibilities at a very young age. Specifically Starletta and her family, Julia and Roy, and her new mama all supported her in a way that made her feel as if she were a young girl rather than an adult with responsibilities.…
How she later got depressed, calling their parents, she talks about their children send to England by her sisters…
Rosa Lee’s mother is originally from the South. Rosa Lee is the product of a mother and father who lived during the time of slavery, and Jim Crow laws. In addition, there was not a great deal of opportunities for African Americans. Trying to survive in the South as African American was difficult because of the discrimination and segregation. Rosa Lee’s mother seemed to focus on trying to survive and do the best she could for her family. As a result, Rosa Lee she grew up surrounded by poverty, discrimination and segregation. Rosa Lee did not seem to have a lot of positive guidance as a child. In addition, she did not see many positive opportunities that she could have living with her mother. For instance, Rosa Lee described her upbringing as tough. Rosa lee also highlighted that she had a challenging relationship with her mother. For instance, Rosa lee described her mother as strict and controlling. Rosa Lee seemed to…
She was isolated due to her father being a writer. He needed space to work, and decided that separating his family from society would work perfectly. They had a garden so that they could make their own food, and enough money from his wife’s job as an orthopedic surgeon, retiring at an early age after years of college. They were old when they had their first child, and decided when she was born, to finally move away. That is when her mother quit her job, and her father…
Her father lost his job due to a coworker who had it out for him, and her family tried everything to keep them above water. It succeeded for a while, but not long enough. They ended up homeless a few months after the joblessness, but they persevered. going to group homes one after another, and even going as far as to spend hours looking for jobs, the family made its way to be known in the community as a family that wouldn't give up. Morgiana may have missed a couple of meals every now and then, but her parents were loving people, and she was happy.…
Aside from being a power-house hosting the most popular daytime talk show, Oprah, commonly referred to as the Queen of daytime talk shows, Oprah has used her talents, celebrity and money to shine the spotlight onto everyone throughout the world. She became the first ever African American woman to become a billionaire as indicated by Forbes magazine,(2003). Oprah has broken through geographical, gender and cultural barriers and made it clear to the world that it’s not ones circumstances but the heart that can determine how far anyone can go under the sun. Born into poverty to a single teenage mother, she experienced extensive hardship during her child hood.…
Grandma is four feet and eleven inches and becomes six feet tall with her fiery personality. When I look into her piercing eyes she resembles the Statue of Liberty; a giant that stands firm in her beliefs. Grandma embodies hope, opportunity, self-awareness, and strength. Most importantly she has instilled a quiet storm within me that awakens when I need to be a champion. Ms. Gladys is my biggest fan during my school graduations and career transformation; demanding highest expectations. She has given me these natural born qualities without the attachment of the umbilical cord. “God keeps me alive to witness the young lady that is my junior” she happily tells my mother. Grandma is known to be a kind woman but can become lethal with a cast iron skillet. My dad experienced this unfortunate doom. Time well spent watching the many personas of Gladys Pratt. Grandma’s huge impact on my life did not become relevant until my transformation into adulthood. When I discovered my first love, pregnancy and bitter sweet disappointment of relationships.…
She was the youngest of eight. Her family was poor. When she was eight years old an accident happened while she was playing Cowboys and Indians with her two brothers. She was shot in the eye with a BB gun pellet, and as a result was partially blinded. She was bullied for her eye. She isolated herself and became an outcast. Years later she had the scar removed from her eye, even then she still felt like an outcast. She turned to writing as her outlet. She found solace in writing.…
My grandmother’s eyes darkened a shade of grey upon hearing the question that I had posed to her. The 74 years old matriarch had gone still for a few seconds that prolonged to a few minutes. All I had asked was, “hey grandma, do you still remember what happened on 13th Mei 1969? I need the story for this essay competition I signed up for.” If I had known the after effect of that short tête-à-tête, never would I have troubled my grandma from her serene slumber. Sensing that I was almost going berserk with my grandmother’s catatonic state, she got back to her spirit and narrowed her eyes at me giving me the traditional ‘grandma look’. Thereafter, I got the answers to the connotation of what harmony within diversity should be nurtured and cherished…
She comes from a royal Muslim family and her father was a very powerful man. She did her schooling from the Irish convent. Since a very young age, she had an interest in poetry and English literature. She grew up in a traditional family, but was privileged to receive modern education. She got married, when she was only fifteen years old. The next year after her marriage, she became a mother.…